Mexico’s sprawling capital is a gateway to the country’s Maya ruins, miles of beaches, rocky canyons and traditional Indigenous villages. But many travellers find the metropolis has an allure all of its own, and a handful of days can be well spent touring its neighbourhoods and historic centre. Mexico’s best museums are here, and its many galleries and markets help facilitate one of the strongest creative scenes in Latin America.
, a beautifully designed handicraft museum housed inside a 1920s art deco building. The museum, which once served as Mexico City’s fire department headquarters, celebrates traditional Mexican craft in all its forms, from textiles and pottery to children’s toys, furniture and giant— mythical creatures made from wood or papier-mache.
— in the Iztapalapa neighbourhood, in the east of Mexico City. It serves the water fly eggs — which taste intensely fishy, similar to dried shrimp — in pancakes with tomatillo and serrano chilli sauce.Photograph by Mercado de Artesanías La CiudadelaJust a few minutes’ walk from Museo de Arte Popular is this hub for artisans, Mexico City’s largest and best arts and crafts market.